What you should have in stock when preparing for a winter storm
To make sure you’re best prepared, start with some basics: Learn how to keep your pipes from freezing by open cabinets under sinks to let heat in or let faucets drip, test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, have extra batteries for radios and flashlights, charge electronics and consider specific needs of everyone at home, like medication.
You should have at least three days’ worth of food and water for everyone in your household, according to Joann Sands, a clinical assistant professor in the School of Nursing at the University at Buffalo.
Choose groceries with a long shelf life, which do not require cooking and are not too salty or spicy, because those foods mean you will likely drink more water, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends.
Here’s what to stock up on:
